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GEORGE T. PEARSONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application led December 10, 1915. Serial No. 66,027.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. PEnRsoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to lire extinguishers of the type in which a iire extinguishing material is ejected from a reservoir by the pressure of a gas, such gas being the reaction of the mixing of lgas generating materials normally held in a separated condition in a generator in the reservoir, and it is the primary object of the invention to pro-vide a fire extinguisher which is in the nature of a unit sprinkler apparatus adapted to be removably supported in an opening in a ceiling or suspended froma suitable support.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an extinguisher in which the fire extinguishing material is released from a reservoir by fusible means, the fusing of said means also causing the gas generating materials in the generator'to mix, and utilizing the generated gas to forcibly expel the material from the reservoir.

In the drawings accompanying vand forming part of this specification Figure l is a sectional side elevation of -a fire extinguisher showing an embodiment of my invention, the parts being shown in full lines in normal position and in dotted lines the position .the parts will assume when the gas generating materials mix; and Fig. 2 is a `sectional side elevation of the lower portion of the. extinguisher shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a modified means to close the outlet to the reservoir.

In the embodiment of'my invention illustrated in the drawing a fire extinguishing liquid which will volatilize at a heat above ordinary atmospheric temperature, sayabout one hundred and sixty degrees, such las carbon tetrachlorid, is contained in a reservoir 6 ofsuitabley material, said reservoir, asshown in Fig. 1, having an outlet to which a sprinkler head '7 is connected, this h ead being connected to a -pipe S-'extendlng into the reservoir, reversely bent as shown, and having an outwardly opening and inwardly closiu valve 9 at the intake end, or this sprinler head, as shown in 2, may be in the-.nature of a fusible sprinkler head 7',

and by the fusing of which sprinkler head the liquid will be released from the reservoir 6. The upper end of the reservoir is in the form ofya removable head or cover 18 having an opening with an annular depending collar 14 secured in or formed as an integral part o-f the head, and said collar aving an inwardly extending flange. A cover 17 has screw threaded connection with the collar 14 of the head for a purpose to be hereinafter described. To support the ex tinguisher in an opening in a ceilingvit may be provided with a screw threaded ange or ring 10, or it may be suspended from a suitable support by hangers 11.

To forcibly eject the liquid from the reservoir I provide a generator having an outlet leading into the reservoir in which to generate gas, to be utilized to expel the liquid from the reservoir, said generator comprising a receptacle 12 of a suitable material to contain a gas generating material, such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, said receptacle being supported in the reservoir by a flange 13 engaging with the inwardly extending iange of the collar 14. This receptacle has an outlet 19 leading into the reservoir having a check Valve opening outwardly from and closing into the receptacle 112. Y

A second receptacle 15 of suitable mate`v rial engages in the first receptacle and is suspended therein by a'ange 16 engaging upon the flange 13 of the receptacle 12 to be supported by the flange of the vcollar 14 andl adapted to be closed by the cover 17, the cover having means for the engagement of a wrench or the like to facilitate the connecting and removal of the cover. Gaskets are preferably interposed between the flange 'of the collar 14 the flanges of the receptacles and thecover to maintain a tight joint. It will be obvious that yby this construction the generator may be readily removed from the reservoir for cleanin-g or otherwise and per-v mit cleaning o-f the reservoir and relling the same, although the reservoir may have a, filler opening, with a removable closure 6.

The receptacle 15 is `adapted to contain yanother gas generating material such as bicarbonate of soda, and to retain such material therein free from the material in the first receptacle, and .also permit said material to mix with the material inthe irst receptacle when required, the receptacle 15 has a movable bottom 20; that is, 'adapted to move aivay from the receptacle! and thereby permit the material therein tojl' drop into the material in the first receptacle', with the resultant reaction. This bottom in' the normal condition of the extinguisher is` retained in a position contiguous to the receptacle by a stem 21, extending through the first receptacle and through an opening 22 in the reservoir to the exterior thereof, and retained in its normal position by fusible means consisting of a. link or bar 23 of fusible material carried by a ring 23 having screwthreaded connection with a flange 211 on the reservoir. The stem 20 is slidably mounted in guides 25 in a tube 25 communicating at one end with the opening 22 and passing up through the receptacle 12 and into the receptacle 15; the bottom 2O of said receptacle 15 has an inward extending tubular portion 26, closed at the upper end and to which a valve 27 is fixed, said valve having a stem 21 and the end of the tube 25 being constructed to constitute a seat, as at 28, for said valve.

In operation the reservoir is first filled with the liquid, When the receptacle 12 is placed in position in the reservoir and the acid poured into the same. The receptacle 15 with the bottom is then placed in position and the bottom firmly drawn to the receptacle through the fusible band 23 and its connection with the flange 24, When the bicarbonate of soda is placed in said receptacle and the cover 17 secured in place. In case of re and the temperature reaches a predetermined degree higher than ordinary atmospheric temperaturethe fuse 23 is melted as Well as the fuse of the sprinkler head when a fusible sprinkler head is utilized. By the fusing of the band 23 the stem 21 with the connected bottom 20 Will drop permitting the material in the receptacle 15 to drop and mix With the material in the receptacle 12, and the generated gases resulting from the reaction of the mixing of the materials passing through the outlet 19 into the reservoir creating pressure therein and forcibly ejecting the liquid therefrom. When the rod and bottom drop the valve 27 Will engage with the seat 28 thereby preventing any of the gases passing out through the tube 25.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 there is connected to the outletof the reservoir a fusible sprinkler head 7', the said head having the usual fusible means to retain a plug in the outlet. In this construction the fusible means of the head must be fused before the fire extinguishing liquid Will be released from the reservoir.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir to contain lire extinguishing the bottom is-'liquid and having an outlet; a fusible sprinflkler head connected to and closing the outdet; a generator in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; means to normally maintain gas generating materials -\in a separated condition therein; a support for said means extending through the gen xerator and the reservoir to the exterior of ,the latter; means to carry said support and shut off communication from the generator and reservoir with the exterior of the latter through the opening through which the support passes; and fusible means with Which said support engages to maintain the means in the generator in position with the gas generating materials in a separated condition in the generator, the fusing of said fusible means and of the sprinkler head permitting the materials in the generator to unite and generate gas, and opening the outlet of the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid and having an outlet; a generator in said reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; a movableI part Within the generator to maintain gas generating materials in a separated condition therein; a stem connected to said movable part extending through an opening in the bottom of the reservoir; and fusible means coperating with said stem to maintain the movable part in position to retain the materials in the generator in a separated condition, the fusing of said means permitting movement of said stem with the movable part and the mixing of the materials in the generator, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a fire extinguisher, the combination With a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid and having an outlet, of a generator in the reservoir comprising a receptacle for a gas generating material and having an outlet leading into the generator, a second receptacle in the rst receptacle having a movable bottom to retain a gas generating material therein separated from the material in the first receptacle, and a stem connected to said bottom extending through the rst receptacle and kthe reservoir to the exterior thereof; and a fusible link outside ofv the reservoir to support said stem and the connected bottom of the one receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid and having an outlet, of a .generator in the reservoir comprising a receptacle for a gas generating material and having an outlet leading into the generator, a second receptacle in the first receptacle having a movable bottom to retain a gas generating material therein separated from the material in the first receptacle, said bottom having a tubular inward projecting portion, a Valve at the top of the tubular portion, a tube communicating with an opening in the reservoir and extending up through the first receptaole into the tubular portion of the bottom of the other receptacle and having 'a valve seat at the upper end, a stem fixed to the valve extending down through the tube to the exterior of the reservoir; and fusible means exterior of the reservoir coperating With said stem, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir to contain fire extinguishing liquid and having an outlet; a generator in which to generate gas in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; means to maintain gas generating materials in a separated condition in the generator; a support for said means extending through the reservoir to the exterior thereof; a earrier for said support and operating to shut off communication between the generator and the exterior of the reservoir through the opening for the support; and a fusible link With which the support engages to maintain said support With the means con nected thereto in position with the gas generating materials in a separated condition in the generator, the fusing of said link permitting the support With the connected means in the generator to move and the gas generating materials to unite and generate gas, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir to contain fire extinguishing liquid and having an outlet; a generator in Which to generate gas in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; means to normally maintain gas generating materials in a separated condition in the generator, having a part to extend through an opening to the exterior of the reservoir; and a fusible link With Which said part extending to the exterior of the reservoir engagesto maintain said means in position in the generator With the gas generating materials in a separated condition, the fusing of said fusible link permitting the means supported thereby to move and the materials in the generator to unite and generate gas, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEO. T. PEARSONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

